


Dear Kurt, Dear Blaine

by misskaterinab



Category: Glee
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-06-05
Updated: 2012-07-08
Packaged: 2017-11-06 22:01:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/423744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misskaterinab/pseuds/misskaterinab
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kurt and Blaine are coping with the long distance between them by sending snail mail letters and care packages back and forth. They still Skype, text, and email, but there's just something about receiving something in the mail from a loved one. FLUFFY!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Kurt trudged up the steps to the building where he and Rachel shared an apartment, completely exhausted after a long day of classes. His dance class was a killer; he thought he danced fairly well, but apparently Mike was right. His “sashay” had to go, and his dance teacher was doing everything she could to beat it right out of him. As a result, Kurt was so sore on dance class days that he could hardly move, and getting home was a great chore.

He opened the mailbox for their apartment and found a tiny key inside. It was the key to the package lockbox. He was used to this key appearing in their box; Rachel’s dads sent her things constantly. He wished they wouldn’t. Most of the things they sent her were completely pointless. They had no use and no meaning, and Rachel insisted on displaying them in the living room, which was rapidly becoming cluttered.

Kurt opened the lockbox, praying whatever was inside was tiny and wouldn’t take up much space. He didn’t know if he could handle one more thing to dust around.

To his great surprise, the package inside was addressed to him. For a fleeting moment, he thought that his dad had sent him something, but he dismissed that idea as he noticed that a likeness of the wide-eyed stuffed dog he had given Blaine after senior skip day was sketched on the cardboard. A quick check of the return address confirmed that it was from Blaine.

Kurt suddenly found it easier to conjure up the energy to make his way upstairs to their apartment, which was no small feat. Like Leonard and Sheldon on The Big Bang Theory, they lived on the fourth floor in a building that was equipped with an elevator that had been broken for years and never serviced. Eager to rip into the package, Kurt managed to force himself to walk up the stairs at a normal speed rather than his usual “I hate my dance teacher she’s a sadistic bitch and must die I hurt so bad that maybe I’ll die instead of her” snail’s pace.

He arrived at his front door hurting only a little bit more than he had been before he started. Upon opening the door, he called for Rachel even though he knew she probably wouldn’t be home. Kurt was glad for this; one did not open a package from one’s slightly unpredictable boyfriend in front of others before one was entirely certain of its contents.

Kurt carefully broke the seal on the box with a pair of scissors and lifted the lid. He approved of the wrapping inside – there were several items, all wrapped in brightly colored tissue paper and tied with curling ribbon. He had finally managed to convince Blaine that presentation was indeed important.

The first item he pulled out of the box was soft and squishy. It was an adorable gray striped kitten stuffie, and it looked suspiciously like Margaret Thatcher dog with its huge eyes, big head, and small body. He gave it a quick hug, noting that it smelled like Blaine, and set it aside in favor of a new mystery item from the box. This one was also squishy but it had some sharp corners. Kurt squealed as he opened a bag of Lima Bean branded coffee. He had no idea that the Lima Bean sold their own coffee, but he was thrilled. He had yet to find coffee that tasted the same as back home, though he suspected this was in great part due to the company he kept while there and not just their special blend. The third item was a travel mug with the Lima Bean logo on it. Kurt found his name scrawled down the side in Blaine’s handwriting; he vowed to be careful so as not to make it wear off too soon.

There was one more item in the box: a small flat object. He pulled the wrapping off and found a notebook complete with a decoupaged cover. Kurt smiled as his eyes scanned the items pasted on the front: a pair of movie tickets to some inane chick flick they had seen a couple of months ago, an especially pretty fall leaf they had picked up last year while walking in the park, a petal from Blaine’s prom corsage, and several other items of significance in their relationship. The central object was a photo of the two of them that Kurt had never seen before. It was a backstage candid shot after the New Directions won Regionals. Kurt had no idea that anyone had even had a camera at that point. Blaine’s arms circled his waist, and Kurt’s arms were wrapped around Blaine’s shoulders. They were apparently just pulling out of a kiss; they both looked a little breathless, and their lips were kiss-swollen and redder than normal. They had not a single other care in the world at that moment in time except for each other – it was a beautiful picture.

 He stared at the photo of him and his beautiful boyfriend for a minute more before flipping open the cover to see what was inside.

**September 7, 2012**

_My Dearest Kurt,_

_I miss you so much. Watching you disappear through airport security was one of the hardest things I’ve ever gone through, and that’s saying something since you _know_ the kind of crap that’s happened to me. I needed an outlet, something to keep me focused on the fact that I’m with you emotionally and not that I’m not with you physically._

_The stuffed cat is from Six Flags; I won her just for you. The surviving members of New Directions plus the few that stayed in Lima went there on the day before school started again as a way of saying goodbye to the summer. Since my dog is named Margaret Thatcher, I wanted to name the cat something British. I was going to go with Kate Middleton since I know how much you love her, but I decided Pippa was a cuter name for a kitty. Feel free to rename her if I’ve misjudged it._

_Enjoy your coffee from home. I’m sure you’ve found better coffee than what’s served at the Bean, but sometimes things taste better when there’s happy memories attached, and we’ve had so many happy memories there that no coffee will ever taste as good to me as this._

_I thought it might be fun to send this notebook back and forth to each other to sort of fill in the blanks that our emails and texts and Skype sessions miss. Not to mention, it’s fun to get something in the mail that isn’t requesting money or addressed to occupant._

_Love Always,_

_Blaine._


	2. Chapter 2

**September 13, 2012**

**  
**

_Dear Best Boyfriend in the World,_

_I haven’t told you this, but I cried through airport security. And the half-hour long wait to board the plane. And boarding. Thankfully I was seated next to a little old lady who had Kleenex that were floral scented from being in her purse too long to offer me and encouraged me to pour my heart out to her sympathetic ear. She was really sweet; we talked for the whole flight, and it took my mind off you long enough so I could stop crying. It started up again when I walked through the gate at LaGuardia and turned around to wait for you and you weren’t there and it hit me that you weren’t there._

_But it got better. And I hope it’s better for you, too. I miss you with every fiber of my being, but someone who must be psychic and knew exactly how I was feeling sent me a care package with the perfect, or should I saw purrfect, things from home to make it a little less hard to be away from you._

_I think Pippa is adorable. The name is great, and I totally agree with why you chose it. And I’m going to have to get one of those reusable K-cups for my Keurig so I can keep this coffee to myself; Rachel doesn’t get to have any. She’s not as picky about her coffee as I am so she can just drink generic stuff while I hoard the good stuff._

_My classes are really tough, but for the most part I am enjoying them. My dance class is a killer though. It reminds me of booty camp, though. There’s this one exercise that we do where we shake our asses a lot; I just picture you in those tight butt-hugging gray sweatpants of yours and sometimes I almost need to leave the room for a minute. Kind of like right now._

_In the box you’ll find something I found while trolling this great little vintage shop I found near school. I think you’ll be able to figure out why I chose it. And since you’ve sent me coffee, I am sending you a bag from my favorite place around here. I hope you like it, ‘cause we’ll probably be spending a lot of time there when you get here._

_I love you so much._

_Yours,  
Kurt_

_P.S. I just got out the box that you sent me so I could reuse the packaging, and I heard a rattle – THANK YOU! *running off to make my first cup of Lima Bean coffee with my new reusable K-cup*_


	3. Chapter 3

Blaine was putting the finishing touches on an after school snack for himself and Tina; she was heading over to his house after school to work on their auditions for the school musical, which had just been announced that day. The doorbell rang, and he called out, “Just a minute, Tina!” before wiping his hands on a towel and rushing to the door.

But it wasn’t Tina on the other side of the door – it was the mail carrier holding a package that was too large to fit in the mail box. Thanking the man, he shut the door and was just about to set it aside, thinking it was something his mom had ordered, when a familiar drawing of a dog caught his eye. Recognizing it as the doodle he made on the box he had sent to Kurt, he checked the address label for confirmation. Yep, it was addressed to him and it was from his favorite person in the entire world. With a huge grin on his face, he was just about to dash into the kitchen for a knife to break the seal on the package when the doorbell rang again.

He spun around on his heels and answered the door with the grin still firmly in place.

“Why Blaine! I didn’t know you’d be so happy to see me!” Tina teased.

“Hi Tina! Of course I’m happy to see one of my very best friends.  But look what I got!” Blaine practically shoved the box right under her nose and bounced on his toes in excitement.

“It’s…..a BOX.”

“Well of COURSE it’s a BOX,” Blaine said in mock indignation. “It’s a box from KURT!”

“I’m just playing with you. I figured it had to have been from Kurt to get that kind of reaction from you. I know it wasn’t ME that was making you this happy.”

“Well of course you make me happy too, Tina,” Blaine said, and with a peck on her cheek, he led her into the kitchen where their munchies were waiting for them.

“Such a gentleman, having a snack laid out for me,” Tina commented.

“If there’s one thing I learned from Kurt, it’s how to be a good host.” He poured Tina a glass of water and then sat down at his place to study the box.

“Don’t wait to open it on my account, Blaine! I’m curious, too!”

“Um, I hope you don’t mind, but I think I’m going to see what’s in the box first before I share. You never know quite what might be in a care package,” Blaine noted, blushing slightly.

Tina giggled. “Gotcha. I probably wouldn’t want you to see anything Mike sent me, either, until I gave it a G rating.”

Blaine slid a paring knife along the clear tape seal and opened the flaps of the box. He hid the contents from view while he quickly rummaged through box. Once he deemed the items safe for public viewing, he began setting them on the table in front of him.

He was happy to see that the notebook was there; it meant that Kurt embraced his idea and was willing to continue it. There were several other items inside, all wrapped in the same tissue as his to Kurt had been; Blaine approved of their recycling.

“Hurry up, hurry up! I wanna see!” Tina said excitedly, shoving a cheese and cracker sandwich in her mouth.

“Very attractive, T,” Blaine said sarcastically as he noted the crumbs that showered down from her mouth onto the table.

She shrugged. “It’s just you. I don’t have to impress you.”

He rolled his eyes and grabbed for the first item. It was of a similar size and shape to one of the things he had sent to Kurt. He silently guessed to himself what it may be as he opened it, and sure enough, he was right. It was a bag of beans from a coffee shop called Brewed Awakening.

“Oh that’s so clever!” Tina exclaimed.

“This must be the coffee shop Kurt settled on. He told me he refused to settle on Starbucks until he had given independent shops a fair shake. I’ll guarantee you the name of the café must’ve swayed his decision – he loves plays on words. A place called Cuppa Joe or something just would not appeal to him as much.”

The second item Blaine unwrapped was a photo in a frame. It was of Kurt posing like Vanna White in front of a wall he assumed was in Kurt’s bedroom. He squinted to closer at the wall and discovered that it was made up almost entirely of pictures of him and Kurt together. It was tough to tell details (he would have to remember to ask Kurt if there was a digital version he could blow up to a larger size), but he saw pics with the Warblers, pics with the New Directions, and pics of just the two of them. Blaine focused on the largest one – he and Kurt were sprawled out on the Hummels’ couch, curled into each other and fast asleep. _Carole must have done one of her camera sneak attacks,_ Blaine thought.

Tina got up from the table and peered at the photo over Blaine’s shoulder just as a tear dripped on the glass of the frame. “Wow, even Mike isn’t that romantic,” Tina commented, reaching around to Blaine’s cheek to stop a second tear from joining the first. Blaine used his sleeve to wipe the errant drop from the glass.

“I am so glad we have a Skype date tonight,” he whispered.

Tina briefly rubbed Blaine’s shoulders, and then she pointed to one more thing on the table. “What’s that?”

Blaine eagerly reached for the tiny wrapped item. It was round and hard, and Blaine had no idea what it could be. Peeling the paper away, he discovered a lapel pin. Instantly, he knew why Kurt must’ve chosen it – it was gold-colored metal with an enameled bird in the center. It had musical notes coming from its beak. It seemed so familiar…

“Oh holy shit,” he said, heading toward the stairs. “I’ll be right back!” he called over his shoulder to Tina.

Blaine woke his laptop from sleep mode and typed “Dalton Academy Warblers” into Google and waited for a list of results to come up. The first link that came up was Wikipedia, and it had a brief history of the group, but it didn’t quite have what he was looking for. The Dalton Academy website itself had more information on the Warblers, but it was current information. Finally, after clicking on a few more sites and failing to find what he needed, he clicked on the Image results. “Bingo,” he whispered.

There was just one image result that matched the little pin he held in his hand, but it was enough. The image link brought him to a page of a collector that specialized in vintage glee club pins. The caption underneath the photo of Blaine’s pin read: “Dalton Academy, Westerville Ohio. 1938-1940. This group was a select group of just ten members at that time. Pins were only produced for two years before deemed too expensive to continue. Materials: 14K gold and enamel. VERY RARE.”

Blaine attached the pin to his shirt and snapped a picture of himself. Once he was satisfied that he had gotten a clear enough picture of the pin, he sent it to Wes with the caption, Look what Kurt sent me!

He headed back downstairs, apologized to Tina for temporarily abandoning her, and grabbed the notebook to see what Kurt had written. He scanned the message, noting that he’d have to go back and read it more closely later. But the answer to the question he had in his head was clear – Kurt didn’t know what the pin was.

He grabbed a pen and hastily began to write.

 

**September 26, 2012**

_Dearest Kurt,_

_My goodness – you have absolutely no idea what you found, do you? I know you chose it because it reminded you of the Warblers, and it turns out, it should have. When I unwrapped the pin, I thought it looked familiar, but I had no idea why. So I Googled it and did a little research. This pin was in fact given to Warblers members in the late 30s. It was only produced for a couple of years due to cost, and the group was smaller back then. It’s made of gold, and it’s REALLY RARE._

 

Blaine’s phone buzzed in the middle of his note writing. He viewed the screen; the incoming message was from Wes. **WHERE DID YOU GET THAT?? Do you KNOW what that IS?? So jealous!** Blaine smirked and picked up his pen to continue his message.

 

_I JUST got a text from Wes – he is SO jealous of me. He’s a sucker for Warblers history – knowing I have this pin and he doesn’t must drive him nuts. So not only thanks for the pin, but thanks for that, too. *grin* You’ll have to show me this vintage shop when I get there._

_Tina is here with me, she says hi._

Tina wrestled the pen away from Blaine. **_HI KURT!!! I MISS YOU!_**

_We’re here to discuss our auditions for the musical. It was announced today; we’re doing Guys and Dolls. Tina, of course, will be trying out for Sarah Brown, and we think either Sugar or Brittany would be hysterical for Adelaide. Me? I don’t know. I would be thrilled with Nathan Detroit or Sky Masterson, but there are some amazing new voices in the New Directions this year. Shawn and Brandon both expressed interest in the musical, and they’re REALLY GOOD, Kurt._

__**_DON’T LISTEN TO HIM, KURT. NONE OF THEM ARE AS TALENTED AS MR. BLAINE ANDERSON!!!_ **

_Dammit Tina, stop that. Anyway, we’ve got two weeks to perfect our numbers before we audition. Artie is directing again, and Coach Bieste and Miss Pillsbury are the faculty advisors, although Mr. Schuester has decided to join them this year._

 

Blaine set down his pen and returned his attention to Tina, vowing to return to his message for Kurt later. He wanted to finish it up in private, and he had neglected Tina long enough.

After dinner, he grabbed the box and tissue paper and placed a few objects safely inside. Then he picked up his pen to write the last few words to Kurt.

 

_I had to wait to finish this ‘til Tina went home. She’s struggling with missing Mike as much as I’m struggling with missing you. We’ve formed an alliance, and I am so glad to have her as a friend. We keep each other grounded. And hopefully we’ll be keeping each other busy with the musical. Let me know if you have any ideas on what I should do for my audition. I’d really love to play opposite her, whatever roles we get._

_The photo you sent me is perfect. It has an honored space on my nightstand, right next to the photo you had taken for your campaign posters. And the name of the coffee is so fun – is that the coffee shop you’ve settled on?_

_In the box you’ll find your McKinley Titans t-shirt. Know that I’m not returning it to you or anything. I know when people start giving belongings back, it can cause panic because of what it often means. No, I just need this to be in your presence for a little while – it stopped smelling like you. As far as the item in the little velvet pouch, I was at my grandma’s last weekend. She’s getting senile and she’s convinced she’s going to die “tomorrow” every day, so she’s giving her belongings to anyone who will take them. This is what she handed me. It’s not my style or something that I will ever wear, but the more I looked at it, the more I decided that if anyone can find its inner beauty, it will be you. So, I’ll let you decide if it’s art or crap._

_I love you more today than I did yesterday, and tomorrow I’ll love you even more than I love you today (that is, if neither of us die from the cheese that was that line)._

_Thinking of you always,  
Blaine_


	4. Chapter 4

Kurt left his apartment to trudge down to the mailbox, hoping that maybe there might be something in there that might cheer him up. The new Vogue, an ad for a shoe sale… hell, a piece of junk mail addressed to Occupant had more of a chance of cheering him up than the scene in his apartment at that moment. Finn was visiting, and Rachel was ecstatic, to say the very least.

After spending many nights staying up late with Kurt and drinking warm milk discussing his hopes, fears, and options, Finn had made the difficult decision to go to California with Puck and become a partner in his pool cleaning business. Puck’s father may have taken Puck’s seed money, but Finn made up for it. He provided the capital, and Puck provided the client list and knowhow, and their business venture had really taken off. Finn had been able to afford to buy a ticket and take some time to visit Rachel.

The same, unfortunately, could not be said for Blaine. Kurt was jealous of Rachel and Finn. Green-eyed monster jealous. And the sight of them cuddling on the couch… the sounds of them “reuniting” in Rachel’s room – it all made his heartache so much worse.

Kurt hadn’t even thought about the possibility of there being a package from Blaine that day, but as soon as Kurt spotted the key for the lockbox in his own mail slot, he couldn’t help jumping up and down in place with happiness. He could hardly put the key in the lock in his excitement, but once he finally got the lockbox open, he found a familiar looking box inside waiting for him.

Not paying a single lick of attention to the rest of the mail (there was no point, anyway – it was the time of the month for bills to be arriving, and there they were in all of their nauseating glory), Kurt raced up the stairs, threw the wad of bills on the kitchen table, and dashed past Finn and Rachel to his room and slammed the door. He could only barely hear Finn asking Rachel what Kurt’s problem was and Rachel commenting on Kurt’s rudeness, but he couldn’t care less at that point.

He picked up his iPod and popped in the earbuds to drown out any possible “activities” that Finn and Rachel may have decided to occupy themselves with and tore into the box. Well, “tore” wasn’t quite the word – he delicately picked his way past the tape so he could continue to use the packaging for the next care package back to Blaine.

Kurt frowned when he unwrapped the Titans t-shirt. _I thought I told him he could keep this._ He set it aside and eagerly dug through the rest of the box. He found a CD of piano music that looked intriguing along with a bottle of Vanilla Verbena “Stress Relief” aromatherapy bubble bath and a sleep mask that had a pair of closed eyes embroidered on it. As he checked the tissue paper inside for any more items (he had learned with the last package and the hidden K-cup), he felt an oddly shaped item inside a velvety fabric. He pulled a burgundy velvet jewelry pouch out of the packing material and smiled, but his smile faltered somewhat when he opened the pouch and removed the item inside.

“What on god’s green earth is this?” he whispered, holding the object in his hand, examining it from all angles. What “it” was was a giant, mounted hippopotamus head brooch, and Kurt wasn’t sure whether he should be fascinated or horrified. He set it aside within eyeshot and reached for their notebook to read what Blaine had written, hoping for some insight on the piece.

Kurt was thrilled to read about Blaine’s friendship with Tina; he wanted them both to have someone nearby to confide in and be there for each other, especially since he knew Blaine didn’t really have anyone besides him to talk to. He awwed when he read Blaine’s reason for sending the shirt, though he had to admit, he was glad to oblige Blaine. After all, now that it no longer smelled like Kurt, it smelled like Blaine, and he could immerse himself in Blaine’s scent before he washed it in his own detergent and wore it a bit before sending it back.

Finding the explanation he was looking for, Kurt grinned when he read about Blaine’s grandmother. Yes, nothing said crazy old lady like a hippo pin with a gaping maw.  He took another look at it, turning it over in his hands. He had to admit, the brooch had a strange, eclectic charm to it.

 

**October 5, 2012**

_My Dear Blaine,_

_I am so excited to hear about Guys and Dolls! You will be PERFECT as Sky! I refuse to accept any other outcome – Artie would have to be insane not to cast you in the lead. I think you should audition with More I Cannot Wish You. It’s not a Sky song, but it’s my favorite from the whole show. If you don’t go with a song from G &D, then you should try Close Every Door from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. I have been wanting you to sing that for a long time. Whatever you choose, have Tina sneak in and record your audition, okay? If I can’t beam with pride for you from the wings in person, then that will be the next best way. Make sure you record hers, too, please?_

_I’m wearing the shirt now, getting it all good and Kurt-scented before I seal it up and put it in the box for you, but earlier today, I decided to give Grandma’s brooch a test run. I kid you not, half the gay men in Manhattan were BONKERS for this thing! I don’t understand it in the slightest, but it was a hit. I’ll have to place it in my accessory rotation. Thank you, Blaine. I’m glad you decided not to trash it, though I can honestly understand why you would. It’s a hard piece to find the value in._

_Today is a really hard day for me. Finn is here, and of course Rachel is over the moon. I’m happy for them that they’re together, I really am, but is it bad that I’m throwing a pity party for me right now? I miss you, Blaine. My heart misses your heart, my body misses your body (especially when Rachel and Finn are in her bedroom *ahem*). It just sucks. But Blaine, this care package idea of yours – it has REALLY helped. I can sit here with Pippa, drink my Lima Bean coffee in my Lima Bean mug, wear your shirt, and stare at the pictures on the cover of this book and see so many happy memories, and it reminds me why we’re doing this long distance thing. It reminds me that there is something, and someone, incredible on the other end waiting for me, and it renews my faith that everything’s going to be just perfect._

_I’m returning the shirt, smelling of my detergent and cologne as requested and a special surprise. It’s so touristy, but I just couldn’t resist. I got one just like it. Maybe you can use it as a good luck piece for your audition. A good omen and prediction of the future, if you will._

_246 more days until this school year is over. We’re gonna make it!_

_I love you,  
Kurt_


	5. Chapter 5

Blaine would normally enter his house through the garage, but he detoured past the front door just long enough to grab the now familiar box awaiting him on the front stoop. Normally he would be thrilled to pieces to tear into the box and see what kind of treasures were inside to be discovered, but today, he wanted the box for just one thing: stress relief in the form of writing out his problems and knowing there was a sympathetic ear (eye?) on the other end.

He peeled off the tape and dug through the items inside to find the one thing he cared about at that moment with one hand while wiping his eyes with the other. He breathed a sigh of relief when his hand landed on their notebook, and he pulled it out of the box gratefully. Not even bothering to read what Kurt wrote to him, Blaine grabbed a pen and began to pour his heart out onto the paper.

 

**October 13, 2012**

_Dear Kurt,_

_Bad day. Bad bad bad bad BAD DAY. While I had always believed you when you said that Artie had a mean streak to him (I remember the pain he and the others caused you over the West Side Story auditions), I had never seen it with my own eyes. Or been the victim of it. Until today._

_Artie took it upon himself, along with Brittany, to keep Booty Camp going after Mike graduated. It’s a good idea – show choirs can never have too much practice dancing. But there are a lot of new people now…_

_I’ve never been one to hide in the closet. You know that about me. And I’ve never been one to hide YOU, either. I just don’t always talk about you or my sexuality with others; some days it’s hard enough to make it through the day without driving myself crazy with thoughts about how much I miss you. So while neither you nor me being gay are secrets, some of the newbies don’t know about either._

_We were working through some choreography, and I may have added a little more “shimmy” into a few of the moves than was truly necessary. Artie called me on it, saying, and I quote (God, this hurts to write this), “Hey Blaine, did Kurt fuck that move into you before he left? I thought we were done with all the sashaying once he left. Could you work on not being so damn GAY all the time?”_

_I always though Artie was so NICE, Kurt. He never really said anything bad to me, but it’s like he was saving it up because this… THIS was HUMILIATING. The entire Glee club heard it. Plus a few people walking down the hall outside of the choir room, too. Our friends were all in shock, but some of the new freshmen laughed, and that was all I could handle. I ran, Kurt. I ran AGAIN, and I’m not proud of myself right now…_

_  
_

Blaine’s phone buzzed with a text message. He set his pen down and picked up his phone. The text was from Artie. **Hey man, I’m really sorry. What I said was all kinds of wrong. Please forgive me?**

Blaine scoffed at his phone. Before he could stop himself, he used the camera feature to take a picture of his hand in the form of a rude gesture and sent it off to Artie in response.

 

_Nor am I proud of myself for what I just did – it involves me sending Artie a picture of a non-avian birdie…_

_  
_

His phone buzzed again. Blaine huffed impatiently and pulled up the message. It was from Artie again. **I totally deserved that. If I could, I’d get down on my knees and grovel, but as that’s a little bit out of the question, you’ll have to cut me some slack. Ha ha. Let me know if there’s something I can do to make it up to you.**

Blaine resisted the urge to pick up his phone and hurl it at the wall. He wasn’t anywhere near ready to forgive Artie yet, and he would accept nothing less than a full, public apology when he decided he did. But right now he wanted to be upset and angry.

He set his pen down and sat with his hands covering his face, gently massaging his temples. He was trying to come up with what he wanted to write next when he realized he hadn’t even looked in the box yet. Eagerly, he lifted the flaps of the box to see what was inside. The very first thing he came across was the shirt; he nearly tore open the ziplock bag Kurt had stored it in and pulled it over his head.

The next item was a box that smelled really, really good. It also smelled like Kurt. He discovered a box of vanilla lavender scented dryer sheets under the wrapping. There was a Post-It note stuck to the box with Kurt’s elegant handwriting on it. It said, _It was much easier to send these than the detergent – put a couple of unused sheets in your dresser and a lot more than just this t-shirt will smell like me._

Blaine next unearthed a thin, flat wrapped object which proved to be a bar of Blaine’s favorite, dark chocolate, from Godiva – it was tough to get in Lima since they didn’t have a store that sold Godiva nearby, so it was a rare treat for Blaine. It took him about two seconds before he was ripping off the paper and taking a huge bite. _God bless chocolate on a day like this,_ he thought.

As he savored the slightly bitter flavor, he found one last item in the box. He liked to feel all the items in their packaging before he opened them to see if he could guess what they were; this item, he guessed was some sort of key chain. Upon opening it, he discovered he was right. It was most definitely a key chain, and a personalized one, at that. It was a mini Broadway marquee with Blaine’s name on it, and it even lit up. _Maybe someday…_

He backtracked past that day’s rant to Kurt to find Kurt’s message to him.

 

_Your ideas for me for my audition are really good – as usual, we’re on the same wavelength and More I Can Not Wish You was what I’ve been working on. But now there’s this issue with Artie. I don’t even know if I want to try out, not if he’s going to make fun of my performance. Nor do I want to get the lead because he feels like he owes me; I want to earn it on my own merit. I wonder if it would be okay if asked to audition for everyone but Artie…_

_Screw this, I’m Skyping you._

_  
_

Blaine picked up his cell and tapped out a quick text to Kurt: **Desperate need to talk – you avail. for Skype?**

A response was nearly instantaneous. **_Logging on now. See you there!_**

After a few moments, Kurt’s smiling face filled Blaine’s computer screen. Blaine turned on his video camera, and as soon as Kurt got a good look at Blaine’s face, his eyes tired and red and the area surrounding them puffy from crying, his face fell.

KURT: Oh, sweetheart, tell me everything…

**xXxXxXx**

**  
**

_I always feel so much better when I talk to you, Kurt. Thank you. I think I have a better idea of what I should do about… well, EVERYTHING now._

_I know the whole purpose of us sending this back and forth is the communication in the notebook and not necessarily the goodies we include for each other, but I didn’t want to send the box back to you empty. I struggled with what to include because, to be honest, anything that even remotely reminds me of you is difficult to pry from my grasp lately. So, I thought and I thought, and I came up with… cookies! They’re your recipe. I remembered every tip you gave me, and I think I got them right. Well, the bottoms might be a little dark ‘cause I think I left ‘em on the cookie sheets a little too long, but I don’t think they’ll kill you or anything._

_I’m so thankful I have you in my life._

_I love you,  
Blaine_

 


	6. Chapter 6

Kurt brushed away a tear of pride as he set a beautifully arranged faux flower bouquet in the familiar brown cardboard box. He picked up his phone and, for what seemed like the millionth time that day, studied the picture that Tina had texted him earlier. The cast list for Guys and Dolls had just gone up, and it was obvious that she was able to catch the exact moment that Blaine had found his name at the top of the list for the second year in a row. Kurt set it as the background on his phone; the shock, awe, and joy on Blaine’s face would do much to pull Kurt out of any funk he might possibly ever find himself in.

He propped his phone up on his desk so that Blaine’s glowing face watched over him as he opened their notebook to a fresh page and began to write.

 

**October 22, 2012**

_Dear Sky Masterson,_

_You did it! Honey, I am so proud of you! I knew the moment you sent me that video of your audition, you had written your golden ticket for any part in that show you wanted. You are just so talented it overwhelms me sometimes. NYADA will be absolutely blind if they don’t accept you next year._

_Remember these flowers? They look familiar, don’t they? I replay the look on your face when I gave you the real ones last year in my head constantly; you’re beautiful all the time, but there was just something about that exact moment that does something to me. I would’ve sent real ones again, but I wanted to give you a more permanent reminder of just how proud I am of you._

_Please make sure to send me your show dates as soon as you have them. I will pray to all the gods of theatre that I can make it home to see you. I don’t want to get your hopes up since my classes are really starting to get hectic, but please know that I will move Heaven and earth and even Hell too to get to at least one of them._

_Rachel’s been driving me nuts lately. If there is anything that should make you glad you’re in Ohio and not here, it’s how absolutely bonkers she gets before an audition. She’s trying out for a minor role in a production I’ve never even heard of, but to hear her talk, you’d think she was up for Elphaba. She took a program from West Side Story, autographed it, and then tacked it to my door_ in an acid free pouch _, Blaine. She said, of course you’ll want to have memorabilia so you can show your grandchildren that “you knew me when.” Me being me, I had to go and say something like, I’m starting to wish I didn’t know you now, and she’s so tightly wound that she ran  off to her bedroom in tears. I don’t know if I want to hope she doesn’t get this role so she doesn’t prance around like her, ahem, shit don’t stink, or if I DO hope she gets it so she will hopefully get this out of her system. Rock, meet hard place._

_I hope I haven’t overstepped, but I included something in the package that I’ve been working on ever since you told me what this year’s musical was going to be. I think even Artie, the man of perpetually bad taste in fashion, will approve of it. Let me know what you think._

_Spare a little prayer for me that I will survive Rachel’s audition – and that she will too. If she wakes me up at 3am one more time to critique a vocal run she’s been having trouble with, she may find herself run up a flagpole by her underwear. If anyone asks, YOU KNOW NOTHING._

_Loving you more than ever,  
Kurt_

 


	7. Chapter 7

“Tina, you won’t BELIEVE what came in the box from Kurt today!”

“Blaine, are you _crying_?” Tina asked incredulously.

“I, uh… maybe?” Blaine lied. He wiped his eyes with his sleeve on the other side of the line as his friend laughed at him.

“You _so_ are! What in the world did that boy send you to turn you into a blubbering mess?”

“Can I come over? You’ve got to see this.”

“Sure, come on over.”

Blaine gingerly packed his prizes back into the box. The cardboard was starting to show some wear, but neither of them felt like retiring it quite yet. When it was more tape than box, one of them would hunt down a suitable replacement.

He pulled into Tina’s family’s driveway and carefully clutched the box to his chest as he got out of the car and ran to the Cohen-Changs’ front door. He was just about to knock on the door when Tina flung it open and ushered him in.

“You have my attention, Blaine, let’s see!” she said excitedly.

Blaine grinned and lifted the flaps proudly. First he pulled out the silk flower bouquet and showed it to her.

“Oh my gosh, it’s exactly like the bouquet he gave you last year! That’s so romantic that he remembered!”

“Oh believe me, he remembers everything. We both do. We’re kinda sappy like that.”

“I hate to tell you, but there’s no ‘kinda’ about it. You two are the sappiest saps that have ever sapped, and that’s coming from ME.” They both chuckled over that one; Tina and Mike had known to be nauseating themselves from time to time.

“So, is that what had you tearing up?”

“No. Well, yes, but that was a trickle compared to the river this next thing triggered.” He slowly lifted a soft parcel from the bottom of the box and unwrapped it. Tina was intrigued, watching with bated breath as the fabric within was uncovered; Blaine was treating the package as if it was a gallery unveiling, and really, Blaine felt like it _should’ve_ been in a gallery.

Tina gasped. “Is that what I _think_ it is?” she asked excitedly.

“A Kurt Hummel original Sky Masterson costume? If that’s what you think it is, then you are correct,” Blaine said, beaming with pride.

“Oh my GOD, you are going to look AMAZING, Blaine! All of the rest of us are going to look like _crap_ compared to you!”

“Well, that’s if Artie lets me get away with it. He has HORRIBLE taste in clothing – some of the stuff he was going to try to make Rachel wear for West Side Story was truly appalling.”

“Oh, he’ll let you wear it. If not, we’ll just organize a protest with the rest of the cast. Go – put it on! I wanna see!”

Blaine grinned and practically ran into Tina’s en suite bathroom. As soon as Tina heard the click of the lock, she grabbed the notebook from the box and picked up a pen.

**_Dear Assho – I mean Kurt,_ **

**_How DARE you make such an amazingly fabulous outfit for Blaine and not even think about the rest of us! If we didn’t already know he was gonna show us all up with his amazing talent, this outfit would definitely have us convinced! You’re such a jerk, you know that?_ **

**_Just kidding =) Seriously, his costume is INCREDIBLE, I hope you know that! I’ve SEEN Guys and Dolls on a professional stage and this suit is WAY BETTER and I am absolutely GREEN with envy! I’d ask you to make something for me, but even YOU probably couldn’t do much with plain ol’ mission brown =(_ **

“Tina, what are you doing?” Blaine called from behind her. She hadn’t even noticed that he had stepped out of the bathroom.

Tina spun around and her jaw dropped. She began fanning herself with her hand. “I don’t know if that’s gonna work, Blaine,” she said sadly.

Blaine frowned. “Why not? I think I look pretty good.” He twirled in the mirror, checking himself out. He stopped halfway around and wiggled his butt, grinning with satisfaction at how it looked in those pants. _I’d do me,_ he thought.

“That’s the _problem_! Sarah Brown is supposed to be able to resist Sky for a little while! DAYUM, boy! Now all you need is some black and white wingtips and spats and you will look perfect!”

"OH! I even have some wingtips!" Blaine turned back to the mirror, noting how well the outfit fit him everywhere in every way. It was absolutely _perfect._ Kurt always did know his body so well...

Tina took the opportunity to grab the pen and scribble down a few more words.

**_Ho. Ly. SHIT. Blaine just tried on his outfit, and if he were straight, I wouldn’t be writing in this notebook right now – I would be way too busy getting ALL up on that. But, alas, he only has eyes for you._ **

“Are you writing in our notebook?” Blaine said, peering over Tina’s shoulder. He scanned Tina’s contribution. “ _TINAAAAAA,”_ he whined. “You’re going to give Kurt the wrong idea…”

“What? That we’re going to have to put chastity belts on all the gay and bisexual men between here and New York because of you?”

“ _Yes_ … I don’t look THAT good…”

“We’ll just see about that. You. Over there,” she ordered. “Now, make like Madonna and strike a pose.”

When Blaine didn’t immediately jump to follow her orders, Tina glared at him, and Blaine shuddered. “You’ve been hanging around with Kurt too much. You’ve got his bitch face down to a tee.”

“ _NOW._ ”

“All right, all right!”

Blaine stood up against his closet door and posed as Tina directed him to. After many clicks of her cell phone camera and many different poses, she finally got what she deemed the perfect photo. Blaine noticed her tapping out a message and asked her what she was doing.

“Sending this to Kurt, of course, what do you think?”

“What? Tina…”

“Shut it, Anderson.”

Moments later, a message came through on Tina’s cell phone. She opened it, and the two read it together.

** Hello, you have reached Kurt Hummel’s phone. Kurt cannot respond to your message at this time because he is dead. He died of heat stroke. One should not send him photos that cause him to overheat or things like this happen. He hopes you are happy. **

Tina grinned as she sent a reply stating simply, MY JOB HERE IS DONE.

Blaine went back into the bathroom and changed back into his street clothes, taking great care to fold the pieces in such a way as to leave as few wrinkles as possible. Wrinkling such an amazing outfit felt blasphemous, somehow.

After bidding each other good night for the evening, Blaine went home and upon entering his room, he immediately took out the notebook and settled down to write.

**October 30, 2012**

_Dear Kurt,_

_I am stunned. Simply stunned. You have created some beautiful things in your lifetime, but this? Perfection. And to know that you made it just for me? I’m honored. I am going to LOVE wearing this._

_In fact, I am going to find out tomorrow how much I am going to enjoy wearing this outfit – I didn’t have a Halloween costume yet. Now, now, now, I know what you’re thinking. You’re cringing thinking about Halloween parties and spilled booze and sweat stains and all sorts of other nasty demises this outfit could suffer from, but I promise, it’ll be okay. My aunt and uncle have to work tomorrow night, so I’m taking my seven year old cousin out trick or treating, and it will be fabulous. I can put her in a flapper dress and it’ll be amazing!_

_I know you won’t receive this ‘til after Halloween, but I still had to send you my very most favorite Halloween movie_ ever _, It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. Watch it and think of me. I’m also sending you your favorite guilty pleasure Halloween treat. You tell everyone you don’t like candy, but I_ know _you – you wait until everyone leaves and then you eat all the little mellocreme pumpkins out of Carole’s bowl of Harvest Mix. So this year, I am sending you your very own bag of_ just _pumpkins – that way no one has to eat pumpkin-less Harvest Mix, and you don’t have to eat the Indian Corn that I know you think is unnatural (I agree – candy corn with chocolate instead of whatever flavor the white is just doesn’t taste right)._

_I hope you have a wonderful Halloween, Kurt. I can’t wait until next year when we’re together and can host a fabulous costume party in our own place and then declare ourselves as the winners of the costume contest we’ll hold because we’ll both have been dressed by you and we’ll inevitably have the best costumes in the whole place. It’ll be a blast._

_Boo! I love you!_

_Blaine_

 


End file.
